The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-08
A CRITICS BAD BREAK.
How a Well Known Journalist Embar-
rassed His Chief BY Giving 1t
TO" Forrest

TO fOtlbbts
From the Indianapolis und.) Journal
The appearance here OF Robert Down
ing, the young tragedian, in "The Gladi-
ator, brings to the recollection Of old
time thcater gocrs the pleasure they de-
rived from seeing the great Forrest in
the same role, anI particularly recalls
an amusing incident in which Col.
w. A. Taylor, the well known poit-
Enquirer, once figured rs n dramatic
critic. The story is told by journalist who
is friend Of Taylor's. Several years ago
while Forrest was in The zenith OF his pop
ularity as the greatest tragcdian Of the lay
Taylor was called 10 accept position on
the local staff Of the Piltsburg Post, which
was ut that time under the control Of Col
Barr. The colonel and Forrest VEN the
best of friends. and whenever the great
actor appeared in piitsburg he was certain
20 be the guest Of the wll-known Penn
sylyunin editor II 10 happened that the
day Taylor landed IN Pitts6urg the TRACE.
dian opened nm engagement in the Smoky
City, and was, rs usual, the guest OF his
friend Col. Barr Taylor showed mp al
the Post editorial sanctum that evening
Tor his assignment, and was brought Ia the
notice OF the colonel who asked him what
his accomplishments were rs dramatic
critic. Taylor said hc thought hc was
pretty fair at THAT kind OF work.
and the colonel sud 10 him in
his blunt way: "lOu see, Taylor. For.
rest PLAYS here tonight In THE Gladiator. "
I'm getting kind tired ofthe way our boys
arc gwen 10 gushing over dramatic affairs,
and want won todothis Gladiator perform.
ancc tonight TO mp aud sec Forrest. and
give u 10 him 10 nbOut the extent of a
column or more Taylor thought hc
had the coloncl's idea, and went TO
the thcatcr 10 see the great tragcdnn.
lie returned 10 the Post after the
performance, and proceeded 90 give II
10 him tO the extent Of about u
column aud half Taylor Is celebrated
for his easy, ilurnt manner Of writing, and
tho aptitude with which hc strikes the
nail on the head lie had made up his
mind Ia give II TO Forrest, and he did ~.
The Post appeared next morning with the
most abusive criticism that the fertile
brain oi the festive Taylor could c0njure
up. There was not in the entire article a
single cpithvi but IL was most scail-
ing. critiquc, dcnounoing the actors
performance OF Spmlacus, and Hk.
ing him fore and AFT Taylor handed IN
his copy and departed with the satisfied
cir OF man who knows hu has done rs re-.
quirrd oi BIN. About noon ihc next DIV
ihc critic put in appearance at the office.
lie WIS pcrustcd hy the business mnnnu r.,
wi o wanted 10 know II he had seen For.
rst. Taylor replied that he hadn't and
the business manager informed him that
the actor WIS searching ior him.
Gle was IN here 10 Ecc YOU n while
ago. said lee. "anl II hc had .pt hold OF
YOU, YOU would have never written IN.
other criticism. ron lid yourself proud
proud this morning. didn't your" coniin.
ned the business manager, with q decided
tone of sarcasm. Tho critic began to won.
der II something wasn't wrong. Presently
Col. Barr Appeared.
"TRylor, I'D you write that article about
Forrest said lie.
yes" replied the dmmaiic editor ~
wrote a. You told me TO give II 10 him
and did"
"Wcll, Young man. you succeeded ad.
miuibly.h said the colonel Ia sad, pecul.
/ manner. and moved OIL.
Taylof's position, however, when he
learned the true fate " affairs, was hardly
M cmbarf ing ~ Col. Barr's. After the
performance hc highs before Forrest
had accompanied the editor home, and
they evidently spent the night pleasantly
together. In the morning both came
down 30 late breakfast, and, naiumlly.
both picked mp the Post NJ the same
time. The criticism Of the previous nights
performance was the iirt thing looked for
but Il was not OF the antciprtcd character.
The mcrl WIS finished In silence, and For
rest started ont 10 look iorihe critic, and Col.
Baniook different p III, bu. With the 4 ime
objective point Taylor was not long in dis.
covering his mistake, but tried tocxplain by
saving that when reporter In Cincinnati
received instructions In the same manner
that he did, u meant business. but he
guessed be hadn. quite graspcd the col.
oncl's idea The criticism. however.
proved gCat advertisement for
Forrest, aud followed bv many funny
comments from the different papers.
some expressing doubts a. 10 The sanity of
the writer, and oihols desiring 10 know
what kind Of whisky he drunk. Theiragc.
dian himscli saw the funny side Of Il in
time. however, and iorgave The crrinp Tay.
lor, but the latter never ai,orward gave 10
10 anybody In the dnmalic column Of the
Piiis6urs Post